University of Virginia Health System

Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center Dental Clinic provides comprehensive dental care to pediatric inpatients and outpatients.

Children's Specialty Services

The Department of Dentistry currently provides the services of a general practitioner, orthodontist and oral surgeon to the CSS (previously Craniofacial Deformities) Clinic. Dental care is part of the comprehensive treatment plan for this patient population. Follow-up dental care generally accomplished through the Kluge Childrens Rehabilitation Center and may consist of:

1. Routine hygiene and restorative procedures in preparation for orthodontic and surgery treatment.
   
   
2. Feeding obturators and orthopedic appliances for infants.
   
   
3. Post-orthodontic prosthodontics.

The University of Virginia Health System Department of Dentistry is a referral source for routine care of these patients because:

1. Cleft lip/cleft palate and other facial deformities are often difficult to anesthetize in the oral regions of their defects, and teeth adjacent to these areas are frequently congenitally malformed and secondarily decayed.
   
   
2. Cleft lip/cleft palate and other facial deformities patients frequently present as behavior management problems owing to the above and general anxieties associated with health care personnel borne from previous surgeries. Many require sedation or general anesthesia to accomplish their dental treatment, the availability of which is limited in the Southwestern area of Virginia, particularly among indigent populations.
   
   
3. Cleft lip/cleft palate patients generally possess associated malocclusions which require orthodontic and oral surgery support integrated with routine dental care.

  Tumor Board

The Department of Dentistry participates in the Head and Neck Cancer Tumor Board. This involvement in the care of head and neck patients with head and neck malignancies consists of pretreatment evaluation to ascertain complication and risk, to educate patients about risk from tumor therapy, and to provide appropriate dental care and/or rehabilitation of tumor resected patients. Interim care has also consisted of treatment for stomatitis, mucositis, difficulty with deglutition or speech and appropriate diet instruction. Post-operative care consists of regular follow-up and necessary treatment including preventive care, restorative care, and rehabilitation with prosthesis and/or mandibular guidance appliances to insure appropriate function and esthetics.

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Facial Pain & Temporomandibular Disorders Clinic

Despite great advances in the fields of medicine and dentistry, temporomandibular joint disorders remain an area of confusion for patients and practitioners. Many chronic facial pains can be attributed to abnormalities within the TM joint or the muscles of mastication. Some problems are neurogenic, psychogenic or the result of pain referral. The diagnostic challenge that chronic pain patients present has often resulted in the patient seeking care by many different specialties over extended periods of time. Unfortunately, desperate patients are often subjected to unscientific treatments in hope of getting some resolution of their symptoms.

The University of Virginia Health System offers multi-disciplinary diagnosis and treatment for facial pain/TMJ patients. We utilize accepted, conservative modalities and procedures. We offer the latest in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, including: MRI, physical therapy, biofeedback, appliance therapy, psychological evaluation and counseling, arthroscopy and TMJ surgery.

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Hemophilia Clinic

Hemophilia Clinic is a coordinated effort with the Pediatric and Adult Oncology Hematology service.  Patients are currently on maintenance recall dental status. Treatment often consists of a recall exam, prophy, fluoride treatment restoration of carious teeth. Additionally, we staff the Wise County Satellite hemophiliac clinic once a year. We are also available for consultation for any of the hematology patients.

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